Heat large soup pot on medium. Pour in tea (or oil) add onion and garlic. Sauté until light brown, continually stirring, adding 1/4 cup of water just before the water dries out, this will keep ingredients from sticking. Add scallions and all spices, keep stirring and adding 1/4 cup water as needed, cook for 1 minute, this will heat up the spices and bring out the flavor. Add remaining ingredients, except spinach. Fill up the pot with water and stir, leaving at least 2 inches to the top, and covering the ingredients by at least 2 inches. Cover pot and cook 30 minutes, or until potatoes are soft. Turn off heat and add spinach, let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Serve hot, adding sea salt and pepper at the table, to taste.

Digital pressure cooker directions:
Use the brown setting while sautéing. Instead of 30 minutes, cook on high 10 minutes.

Salt and pepper notes:
I typically leave out the salt and pepper when I cook, instead I leave it up to the person eating it to add that at the table. This is because we all have different taste and salt taste dissolves while cooking, but still keeps the sodium level.

Water sauté notes:
When using water instead of oil the onions may take a little longer to brown. Do not allow the water to dry out, this will ruin your pan, even a non stick pan needs something to coat it, otherwise it will burn the ingredients, they will stick and the pan surface will dull. Also dot add too much water, at once, this will boil the ingredients instead or sauté them.

Herbal Tea notes:
I usually start with herbal tea because it adds those health properties to the soup, which typically is being eaten when its cold out or someone isn’t feeling well. Experiment will all kinds of herbal teas, I don’t recommend green or black teas, they don’t have the right flavor or texture for soup. Be sure to strain the tea if using pieces instead of a tea bag.

Herbs and Spices notes:
Herbs and Spices are what really make the broth good. Dill is by far my favorite herb for soup, it reminds me of my moms soup, very comforting and pleasing. Savory flavors are pleasing. Sometimes I will add a little cumin, coriander or curry to add extra warmth, fenugreek adds a hint of maple flavor, which is nice in a soup with sweet potatoes. Fresh herbs do not need to be sauted like dry seasonings.